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NZ call up Taylor, Elliot

London - Uncapped utility back Tom Taylor and hooker Hikawera Elliot have been called into the All Black squad as injury cover for the final match of their end-of-season tour against England, New Zealand media reported on Sunday.

The 23-year-old Taylor, the son of 1987 World Cup winning centre Warwick, has been called in due to the Achilles' injury sustained by flyhalf Daniel Carter, who was a late withdrawal from the side that beat Six Nations champions Wales 33-10 in Cardiff on Saturday.

Aaron Cruden replaced Carter for the match, notching 18 points, and while he came through the game mostly unscathed, replacement Beauden Barrett is still suffering from bruised ribs he sustained against Italy in Rome last week.

Elliot, who has played three Tests, was in Britain with the Maori All Blacks and has been called into the side due to a lingering calf injury sustained by Keven Mealamu and because of the possibility that Andrew Hore could be cited following an incident in the Cardiff match, Fairfax Media reported.

Television pictures showed Hore hitting Wales lock Bradley Davies in the back of the neck with a swinging arm early in the match.

Hore was not disciplined at the time but both All Black coach Steve Hansen and his Wales counterpart Warren Gatland acknowledged it was possible the hooker could face a disciplinary hearing.

If Hore is cited and then suspended, the All Blacks would only have one fit hooker in rookie Dane Coles available for selection.

The world champions head into the match at Twickenham looking to finish the year unbeaten.

They have won 19 of their last 20 Tests stretching back to last year's World Cup, with the 18-18 draw with the Wallabies in Brisbane last month the only blot on their record.

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